On Friday, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert released a memo regarding the league’s stance on the hot-button topic, a copy of which the Associated Press obtained.

“I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism,” said Engelbert.

The middling approach to the memo, paired with Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, stating "Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA," without outright defining what the term “woman” means, has led to former NBA players Royce White and Enes Kanter Freedom to announce themselves as 2027 prospects.

In an X post by Freedom, he said, “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.”

While Freedom mentions later in the post that his intention is not “to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices,” it has brought into light how wording can be a double-edged sword.

Commenters beneath Freedom’s post immediately tried to dismiss his announcement as a stunt, with one user, “BKB639,” saying, “There are currently 0 trans WNBA players,” and “Creating a hysteria that doesn’t exist is your attempt to stay relevant.”

Supporters came to Freedom’s aid, saying that the announcement is his way of forcing the women’s basketball league to have a firmer stance on what defines a woman.

White, a U.S. Senate candidate for Minnesota, made his declaration shortly after Freedom’s announcement, saying to Fox News, “I’m transgender. I’m a woman—I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purposes of—professional basketball.”

White added to his statement, saying he’d be “unstoppable” if allowed to participate in the WNBA.

According to ESPN's official statistics page, the former Sacramento Kings player spent a single season in the NBA, playing three games and scoring zero points.

Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham has been making headlines for her stance on the discussion, publicly opposing transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

READ MORE: Hard Foul on WNBA Star Who Spoke Out on Banning Transgender Athletes from Women's Sports

During an interview with ESPN, Cunningham defended her stance on the issue, saying that while she wants to protect women’s sports, she had not said anything negative regarding the transgender community.

“I think that I am here to extend love,” said Cunningham. “But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

Other figures have come out in support of transgender athletes in women’s sports, including Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who called to protect trans children, calling this subject a matter of human rights.

In an interview with ESPN, Reeve said she comes from a space of inclusivity, adding that it's “problematic to suggest that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women's sports.”